BMW M4 Coupe Concept First Look

Bold Looking Coupe with an Odd Badge

There's no doubt that perusing the pictures of the BMW M4 Coupe Concept will be a bittersweet moment for some diehard M fanatics. Overall, the car looks great, but those M4 badges sure do look odd don't they?

The M4 concept, which debuts at this week's Concours d'Elegance in Pebble Beach, is our first glimpse at the car formerly known as the two-door M3. And based on a poll we conducted last month, a majority of you are having a hard time accepting the name change. Official horsepower and 0-60 mph numbers could do wonders in reversing those feelings, but BMW isn't quite ready to release powertrain details. So for now, the M4 Coupe Concept exists for us to judge its sheetmetal.

With the 4 Series coupe already out of the way, the M4 concept doesn't have too many surprises. In fact, it's nearly impossible to pinpoint anything that doesn't appear production ready. Last month we interviewed BMW M GmbH Managing Director Friedrich Nitschke, who said the M4 will weigh less than the 2014 435i, which is estimated to tip the scales at 3400-3650 pounds. BMW hopes to accomplish that goal by using generous amounts of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). The M4 concept's roof (look closely and you'll spot the M racing stripe), for example, is constructed entirely of the composite, as is the trunk lid, which features an integrated spoiler for a cleaner look and much needed downforce. CFRPs are also used for the front spoiler's lower lip and the rear diffuser that integrates the housing for the quad exhaust pipes.

The normal 4 Series already sports large and curvy haunches, but they grow even more for the M4 concept. The vertical air vents (Air Breather in BMW speak) on the front fenders feature M4 badges. Filling in the wheel wells are 20-inch rims with five pairs of spokes that are similar to current M products and provide plenty of room for the coupe's carbon-ceramic brake setup. The car is finished in gold metallic paint, which BMW has named Aurum Dust (Aurum is Latin for gold). No word if the color will make it to the M4's official paint palette, but it does remind us of the E46 M3's Phoenix Yellow finish.Large air dams dominate the view up front, along with BMW's twin-kidney grille and LED angel eyes. The hood, which Nitschke said will be fabricated from aluminum to save weight, should also retain the power dome, a signature feature of past M3s.

That said, what lies under the hood still sparks wild speculation. The current M3's 414 hp naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter V-8 will reportedly give way to a new, turbocharged inline-six with a rumored output of around 450 hp. That number isn't too far fetched, especially once you consider the 2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507 that churns out 507 hp. BMW should still offer a manual gearbox, but a dual-clutch automatic will still be the top seller. And while AMG increasingly explores the benefits of all-wheel drive grip, Nitschke says the M3 and M4 will remain rear-wheel drive to save weight and maintain a 50:50 weight distribution. Other performance goodies include a new traction management system and torque vectoring differential.BMW has been hard at work testing M3 and M4 prototypes on Southern California roads and Germany's famed Nurburgring course, fine-tuning the cars before it they hit showrooms sometime next year. The pressure is high for BMW to produce a car that will outrun AMGs, RSs, and Vs. Should BMW deliver, there's a chance M enthusiasts will eventually accept the M4—and the new naming convention—with open checkbooks.

I understand the naming procedure. After all, the 5 series coupe IS called the 6 series so people please calm down. What I don't understand is when BMW M became so boy racer-ish. I remember the only way you could tell a car was a M3 is by the side vents and quad exhaust pipes. Now the entire car just looks pissed off. Why BMW? Tone it down a bit.

Look how blunt that front end is. Straight slab and just plain weird to me. I would definitely have an old M3 compared to this. I don't see this as an upgrade or moving forward for the car or the brand. Thanks but no thanks.

Two important facts: 1 BMW came up in the early days with the marketing scheme of naming their cars with series of numbers, Audi later copied it. 2 BMW invented this segment. So they know what they are doing.

Nice from the A=piller back, but just like the 3 Series the 4 Has got that Straight hood cut line, Tear-Ducts into the Grill ala Toyota, and that squished face. There was a day when being stomped on in the face was not bold, it was stupid! I will take a E46 M3 over this any day!